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Sotomayor's Nunchuks Ruling Worries Gun Groups

Gun rights advocates fear nominee may seek to undermine Second Amendment

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 4, 2009 1:44 AM CDT

(Newser) – Ninjas aren't the only people concerned about Sonia Sotomayor's decision earlier this year to uphold New York's ban on nunchuks, or nunchakus, CQPolitics reports. The Supreme Court nominee was on a panel that rejected a man's claim that the ban on the martial arts weapon violated his Second Amendment right to bear arms, a decision now being closely scrutinized by gun rights groups.

The panel's decision upheld earlier rulings that the Second Amendment does not apply to state or local regulations, an issue that is likely to come before the Supreme Court soon. The decision has led some gun rights advocates to label Sotomayor an "anti-gun radical," although a mostly conservative panel of judges on a Midwestern appeals court sided with her ruling earlier this week.

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Nunchakus, a martial arts weapon, are banned in New York. The law was upheld in arecent decision from a panel that included Sonia Sotomayor. (Shutter Stock)

Gun rights groups plan to use Sotomayor's ruling on nunchakus to highlight her position on the Second Amendment. (©tungk49d)

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One thing we’re going to insist upon is that her position on the Second Amendment is clear at these confirmation hearings. - National Rifel Association spokesman Andrew Arulandam

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Sotomayor's Nunchuks Ruling Worries Gun Groups